DIRECTOR Adrian Teh and stuntman-turned-actor Hairul Azreen were a knock-out team in last year’s navy seal adventure Paskal.
This month, they are back with Wira, which promises twice the action and excitement of Paskal.
And best of all, Wira and Paskal are somehow joined at the seams, for they will eventually be part of Teh’s “Paskal cinematic universe”.
This original cinematic universe will focus on “original Malaysian heroes”, based on real-life people. Teh said that these heroes did not meet one another or team up in adventures, but they shared common traits which Malaysians and filmgoers around the world would find admirable.
“In the Paskal and Wira universe, we have brave, strong, honest, family-oriented patriotic men — my idea of a ‘league of extraordinary gentlemen’,” he said at the Press preview of Wira at GSC Mid Valley Megamall, recently.
Teh, delighted to be reunited with Hairul and another Paskal actor Henley Hii, said Wira revolved around a former soldier who excels in mixed martial arts.
“Hairul, who greatly impressed me in Paskal, is back in action as this soldier named Hassan Munas. His family, especially his tomboyish younger sister Zainab or Zain, is threatened by an unscrupulous mixed martial arts organiser, Raja, because their father Munas owes him money.
“To protect his family from further intimidation by Raja’s henchmen, Hassan chooses to team up with Zain in a rematch against Raja’s formidable children Rayyan and Vee,” explained Teh.
Filming began on April 10 around the federal capital, Rawang and Kajang, and ended on May 14.
Besides Hairul and Hii, the RM8 million film also stars Fify Azmi, Josiah Hogan, Dain Said and Indonesian actress Ismi Melinda.
Jointly produced by Multimedia Entertainment, Act 2 Pictures, Golden Screen Cinemas and Astro Shaw, it has cameo appearances by Ah Beng and Balistik star Jack Lim, Abang Long Fadil’s and Polis Evo’s Zizan Razak, plus two more A-list actors whom Teh has kept under wraps.
“I plan to have four or five films in my cinematic universe. But a lot of it also depends on the success of Wira,” said Teh, adding that Hairul will not be playing the hero in all of them.
Paskal, a navy commando adventure screened in September last year, collected RM22 million in 18 days. It is the third best-selling local film after Munafik 2 (RM46 million) and Hantu Kak Limah (RM36 million).
Below is a recent interview with Teh, Hairul, Hii and Fify:
ADRIAN, TELL US WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO MAKE WIRA.
Teh: I like action films and I have always wanted to make a fist-fighting film. The idea of Wira was mooted some years ago by my company and finally we started the ball rolling after Paskal premiered.
ANY HOLLYWOOD OR HONG KONG FILMS USED AS REFERENCES?
Teh: The Raid. I used it as my reference for Wira, but it is a lot less bloody of course. That is also why I invited Yayan Ruhian on board for Wira, he appeared in The Raid.
IS IT A FIRST WITH DAIN, YAYAN, JOSIAH, ISMI AND FIFY?
Teh: I’ve known Dain for a few years, but never had a chance to work with him until Wira came along. He is a renowned director whom I have great respect for. Working with him has been fun because he is full of ideas.
I have watched some of Yayan’s films and I am a big fan. He is a true professional who is also very polite and humble. I have learnt a lot about fight choreography from him.
I cast Josiah, Ismi and Fify, and I am getting to know them. I am happy that they got along great with everyone on the set. I only have praise for all of them.
IT IS THE SECOND TIME YOU ARE CASTING HAIRUL AND HENLEY. HOW FAR HAVE THEY COME AS ACTORS?
Teh: This time around both of them have more scenes together and they have improved by leaps and bounds. The understanding and chemistry amongst them has risen to another level. They had some funny ad libs on the set while the camera was rolling, and they were able to reply to each other in humorous and interesting ways.
The scene where both of them punched each other in the Black Maria is my favourite scene and they improvised it brilliantly. Hairul is a real superman amongst all the actors I’ve worked with, putting the show before everything else. Hairul’s work ethics are amazing, he is always challenging himself to do better in every scene, and my only “grouse” is that he does not give himself sufficient rest even when he gets hurt.
TELL US ABOUT THE SILAT MASTERS YOU WORKED WITH FOR WIRA. WHAT OTHER TRAINING DID THE ACTORS GO THROUGH?
Teh: They went through three months of training, two four-hour sessions per day. In the morning they worked with Yayan and in the afternoon they worked with endurance coach G. Theeban of Paskal fame. Hairul did three sessions per day as he went to the gymnasium on his own initiative at night.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE ACTION FILMS?
Teh: I have too many of them. Polis Evo 2, Abang Long Fadil 2, 13 Hours, Black Hawk Down, the Mission: Impossible and the Ip Man series. I am a huge fan of action films.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEXT PROJECTS.
Teh: It will be another military-themed film. I am very excited about it.
HAIRUL, HENLEY AND FIFY, TELL US ABOUT YOUR CHARACTERS.
Hairul: I am Hassan, a former soldier who chooses to help his tomboyish younger sister Zainab, a.k.a. Zain, win a mixed martial arts tournament. Hassan’s father Munas owes money to the unscrupulous MMA organiser Raja, who, together with his henchmen, persistently harasses the family while Hassan is away in the army. Raja has two children who are formidable MMA exponents, and in order to be rid of her father’s debt, Zainab must find a good MMA partner to help her defeat Raja’s children in a rematch. This is where Hassan comes in!
Hii: I play Boon, an old friend of Hassan who is a tough and no-nonsense police inspector. He places importance on friendship and cares a lot for the people whom he grew up with. He is independent and devoted to busting Raja’s crime syndicate and exploitation of workers and tenants.
Fify: I play Zainab or Zain, Hassan’s younger sister. She is a tough cookie who loves mixed martial arts. She is unhappy that her brother left home when her parents were facing marital problems, even if she has always looked up to him.
HOW DIFFERENT ARE YOUR CHARACTERS TO THE PASKAL CHARACTERS?
Hairul: Hassan is a lot like Arman of Paskal. Both are very upright and honest men who love their families. But they both have terrible tempers, which they must learn to control.
Hii: Joshua, my character in Paskal, always had his friends backing him up. He also projects a more harmonious life. Boon’s life, however, is a total rebound. He works alone, has few friends and is not a happy man.
HOW DID TRAINING FOR YOUR ROLES GO?
Hairul: Hassan’s life as a soldier is hardly shown in Wira, and that means I did not have to go for military training. However, the MMA training conducted in KL by Yayan and Theeban which I went through before filming was as gruelling, if not more, than the military training I underwent for my role in Paskal. Besides undergoing gym training daily, I also watched what I ate and cut down on carbohydrates. My weight went down quite drastically, since I took only protein, fruits and vegetables.
I am now 68kg, down from 75kg three months ago. To keep myself alert at all times, I underwent a three-minute ice bath almost daily. That is a fantastic way to be recharged and energetic. Shock treatment minus the electricity!
Hii: I only had a day of action training with the team. I wish I had had more of it, but then, Boon is more of a law enforcer and peacekeeper than a fighter.
Fify: It’s been an adventure on the set, after all it is my first major role on the big screen. I used to star in Gol Dan Gincu Volume 2 with Datin Diana Danielle, but that was a forgettable cameo. I’m thankful to Hairul for roping me in, we have been good friends since participating in Celebrity Fear Factor a decade ago. Training under Yayan, Hairul and Ismi for three weeks, I got bruised a lot but at the same time it toughened me up. In fact, Ismi floored me a few times. Ouch! But then we both became great friends and have promised to keep in touch. Honestly, I knew zero martial arts prior to this film.
WHAT WERE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES PREPARING FOR YOUR ROLES AND DURING FILMING?
Hairul: I injured my right leg while performing a stunt on the set. In a pivotal action scene, I had to leap off the first floor of a building. However, I did not fall as planned and tore a ligament in my right leg. The doctor advised me to take eight weeks of rest, but I chose to cut my medical rest short. I only rested for three days. Adrian did not have much time left so I told myself to brave it. After all, I could always ease the pain with painkillers and, furthermore, all the heavy stunt work had already been completed before I got hurt.
Hii: Having really long lines. Thank God, Adrian trimmed some of them down.
Fify: I admit I was pretty slow in mastering martial arts. But fortunately, my trainers had a lot of patience with me since they knew I was a beginner. Hairul, Josiah and Ismi helped me a lot too. Cutting my hair short did the trick of getting me into Zain’s world. I was sad to lose my long locks but that pushed me into character for good.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE WORKING WITH DAIN, YAYAN, JOSIAH AND ISMI FOR THE FIRST TIME?
Hairul: They a’re a great team to work with. Fify learns martial arts real fast, Ismi is a tenacious fighter on the set, while Yayan is a world-class martial artist who is down to earth and nice. Dain is a cool, knowledgeable director who is a brilliant actor.
Hii: I only managed to learn from Yayan a wee bit of fight choreography. But it was great training under him as he is so cool and friendly. I am most honoured to work with a world-class martial arts hero like him, and he brought out the best in me in the limited fight scenes that I had. Yayan looks fierce but he is very humorous, down to earth and humble.
Fify: I got along great with all of them. They look “garang” (fierce) yet they are actually some of the friendliest people around.
WAS WIRA AS CHALLENGING THAN PASKAL?
Hairul: Training for Paskal was based on a module. But training in Wira was no-holds barred, just like a street fight, and that means I got battered and bruised like mad, sparring with some real-life MMA exponents on the set.
Hii: Both films have their challenges. Paskal has more physical action and gruelling military training. Wira, however, has more action and fighting.